Walker



Nov. 24, 1964 B. WALKEYR 3,158,144

ENGINE SHUT OFF Filed Aug. 27, 1962 O R a INVENTOR \l United States Patent 3,158,144 ENGWE SHUT ()FF Brooks Walker, 1280 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, Calif. Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 219,586 5 Claims. (Cl. 123198) This invention pertains to improvements in vehicle engine shut olf means.

Vehicle engines have mostly been shut olf by turning off the ignition. This cuts off the engine power and stops the motor, but puts a lot of unburned hydrocarbons in the air and exhaust system of the vehicle after the switch is turned off and during the time that the engine coasts to a stop. More unburned hydrocarbons are pumped from the exhaust system when the engine starts up.

Aircraft operators usually shut off the fuel by one operators action to stop the engine before the ignition is shut off. In case a magneto is used, the ignition does not need to be shut off to prevent a drain on a battery as in battery ignitions but even with a magneto the ignition is usually turned off when the motor is standing or before starting.

The Franklin automobile used an Atwater-Kent type ignition that employed a tripped hammer by the distributor cam which closed the ignition primary only while the tripped hammer was passing the contact primary points so that there was no battery drain if the ignition was left on as no current would flow to the primary coil circuit when the engine was stationary (the hammer would not close the contact when the motor was stopped).

This invention employs a single key which the operator moves in a single action or partial rotation to shut off the engine. The first action is to shut off the idle fuel or carburetor fed fuel and after a predetermined time the ignition is turned off. This greatly reduces the unburned hydrocarbon on engine turn oif and also reduces the crank case dilution particularly when shutting oif an engine which is relatively cold.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a simple inexpensive means of performing two functions in timed relationship from the single motion of an ignition key in much more rapid operation than said two functions.

Another object of this invention is to simplify the desirable sequence of events in shutting off a motor by the operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means by which an operator can shut off the ignition key on descending a long grade and accomplish the shutting oil of the fuel from the carburetor to the engine at the same time to increase breaking even at low engine speeds as with a stick shift when engine braking below idle speeds may be desirable, as on a crooked downhill mountain road. The shutting off of the fuel and ignition in such a downhill operation results in increased engine braking at low speeds, increased full mileage, reduced unburned hydrocarbons (smog producing exhaust) and reduces the danger of mufiler explosions or backfiires in such an operation as when the ignition and fuel are turned on again.

Other features will be more particularly pointed out in the accompanying specification and claims.

I have illustrated my invention by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one form of my invention, partly schematic.

FIG. 2 is a view of a portion of the same invention shown in FIG. 1, showing another position of the ignition key.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 I have shown an engine 10, a carburetor 11 having a throttle stem 12, a throttle arm 13 and 7 ice a throttle rod 14, a choke arm 16, a fuel inlet 15, an idle fuel passage 17, an idle needle valve 18 having a pointed end 18a that closes idle jet orifice 20 by pressure of spring 21.

A solenoid 27 is actuated by coil 28 and is supported by bracket 25 and screws 27 at the carburetor support and screws 26 at the solenoid. Plate 29 is held away from the energized position by idle fuel closing spring 21. When energized, coil 28 attracts plate 29 which is pulled toward coil 28 to open needle valve 18 and valve end 18a. Shoulder 18b abuts against adjustment collar 19. Spring 15 holds adjustment collar 19 in any set position. Adjustment collar 19 adjusts the opening of the idle needle 18a for idle adjustment when solenoid 27 is energized.

Ignition key 70 operates arm 71 and is supported on support 72. Arm 71 abuts against collar 54 on stem 53 which is connected to diaphragm 52 in dashpot 50. Air or liquid is admitted through port 57 past ball 58 to the left side of diaphragm 52. Light spring 59 holds ball 58 on its seat but allows air or liquid to enter when diaphragm 52 is moved to the right. Needle valve 55 controls the rate of discharge and the timing of the dash pot.

When key 70 is turned to the on position, switch 34 closes so current flows from battery 36 through wire 35, switch 34, contact 33, wire 32, solenoid coil 28, wire 31, to ground 30 and back to battery 36, through ground 30a to energize coil 28 to pull on plate 24 to open idle needle 18a to the limit set by adjustment collar 19.

At the same time arm 71 moves collar 54 up, as viewed in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 2 where end 53a contacts arm 38 to move over until its contact connects to contact the contact on arm 39 for an appreciable travel of dashpot rod 53.

When key 70 is in the on position the contacts on arms 38 and 39 are closed as shown in FIG. 2, they close a circuit formed by ground 300, battery 36, arm 38, arm 39, wire 40, coil 41, primary wire 42, secondary wire 43, distributor, and points (not shown) 45 and leads 44 to the spark plugs in the usual manner.

When ignition key 40 is turned to the off position, as shown in FIG. 1, the fuel is shut off from idle jet 20 by switch 34 as the switch 70 is turned. Arm 71 moves away from collar 54 and spring switch arm 38 moves slowly from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 1 as controlled by dashpot 50. During the first part of the motion the contacts on arms 38 and 39 are closed, keeping the ignition on as the motor coasts to a stop from idle after a time sufficient for the motor to stop the contact on arms 38 and 39 open to open the ignition circuit.

When coasting down a mountain grade, the ignition switch can be turned oh? and the engine will be a more effective brake without taking in idle fuel which will reduce the smog producing exhaust emissions.

This control of fuel on ignition key turn off also reduces smog producing components of the exhaust on engine turn off and start up.

I have illustrated my invention in these various forms; however, many other variations may be possible within the scope of this invention.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thedisclosures and description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim as my invention:

1. An engine having an ignition system, a carburetor,

idle jets in said carburetor, a combination switch for said engine,- said switch having an on and olf position, a remote control for said idle jets including an elf and an on position, said combination switch including a first switch to control said idle fuel shut off, a time delay'device of more than two seconds, said combination switch including a second switch, said second switch controlling said ignition system, the action of said second switch being'partia'lly controlled automatically by said time -delaymechanism so that said ignition is shut ofi no sooner than two seconds after said combination switch has been turned from said on position to said oif position.

2. An engine having an ignition system and a system of feeding fuel to said engine during-idling operation, a combination switch including an offtand an on position, said combination switch including a first switch, a second switch, a time delay control-device affecting the action of saidsecond switch, said second switch opening after a time delay controlled by said delay device after said firstpswitchis actuated when said combination switch is moved rapidly from said on tosaid oil? positions, said second switch controlling power to said'ignit-ion system, said first switch controlling the fuelto idle said engine and cutting it off-promptly when said combination switch is turned ofi, saiddelay device being operated in one direction by fluid pressure.

3. A combination switch as described in claim 2, an engine having an ignition system, a fuel feeding system, an electrically controlled device for shutting off said fuel feeding system, said combination switch controlling both said ignition and said fuel feeding systems fuel shut off device so that when said switch is moved rapidly from said on position to said off position while said engine is running said fuel feed will be shut off first and said ignition will be shut oii by said second switch after a substantial time interval to effectively turn oif said ignition after said engine has stopped.

4. An internal combustion engine having a fuel feeding system to feed fuel to said engine for idling, an ignition system, a single control means for shutting down said engine from the idling operation, said single control means actuating two separate devices with a single motion to the off position, the first shutting off said fuel to idle said engine, the second automatically actuating a device to shutoff said ignition system after an appreciable time delay to effectively shut-0E said ignition system after said engine has stopped, the time delay involved-in said second switch including fluid pressure to actuate said delay device in one direction of operation.

5. A structure as defined in claim-4, a key for operating said single control means, said key actuating said single control'device, said device being inoperative without said key when lefit'inthe locked position.

Carlson Feb. 4, 1947 Karrasch Sept. 23, 1958 

1. AN ENGINE HAVING AN IGNITION SYSTEM, A CARBURETOR, IDLE JETS IN SAID CARBURETOR, A COMBINATION SWITCH FOR SAID ENGINE, SAID SWITCH HAVING AN ON AND OFF POSITION, A REMOTE CONTROL FOR SAID IDLE JETS INCLUDING AN OFF AND AN ON POSITION, SAID COMBINATION SWITCH INCLUDING A FIRST SWITCH TO CONTROL SAID IDLE FUEL SHUT OFF, A TIME DELAY DEVICE OF MORE THAN TWO SECONDS, SAID COMBINATION SWITCH INCLUDING A SECOND SWITCH, SAID SECOND SWITCH CONTROLLING SAID IGNITION SYSTEM, THE ACTION OF SAID SECOND SWITCH BEING PARTIALLY CONTROLLED AUTOMATICALLY BY SAID TIME DE- 